Refrigerator cabinet



April 25,1950 E. D. BRAKE 2,505,322

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Sept. 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 25, 1950 E. D. DRAKE 2,505,322

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed Sept. 14, 1945 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 DUDE@ mmmmmmm E Ummm @Hummm v/7 @E @Hummm /////f/ Hummm Iggmmm mgm@ INVENTOR.

@In D, @Mgg @MU/PJM April 25, 195o l E. D.v DRAKE REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed sept. 14, 1945 3 Shees-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. E/IQL D. DQA/(E Patented Apr. 2s, 195o REFRIGERATOR CABINET Earl D. Drake, Greenville, Mich., assignor to Gibson Refrigerator Company, Greenville, Mich., a corporation of MichiganV Application September 14, 1945, Serial No. 616,248 t' 12 Claims.

i 1 r `This invention relates v.to refrigerator cabinets and more particularly to the shelves and the arrangement of the shelves within the cabinet.

Heretoforel it has been common practice to provide within a refrigerator cabinet a plurality.

of shelves formed of metallic bars or the'like to support articles within the cabinet and at the same time permit free circulation of air within the cabinet. In some instances shelves made of glass or other imperforate transparent material have been employed. Glass "shelves have certain advantages over the ordinary grid type of shelf.

Among the advantages are attractive appearance and ease of cleaning. Another advantage lies in the fact `that vimperforate glass shelves make it possible to control the temperature and previously used while retaining the principal advantages thereof. These desirable results are attained by providing a plurality of shelves in which a relatively large section thereof is formed .of glass or similar transparent material and is removably mounted on the remainder of the shelf which is of foraminate construction to permit free circulation of air'l It has been discovered that if the total area of the openings in the shelf constitute at least one-eighth of the area of the shelf the free circulation of air is not impeded to any great extent, and temperatures throughout the refrigerator cabinet are substantially uniform. The glass section improves the overall apwhich combine the advantages of both glass shelves and metallic grid shelves while eliminating most of the disadvantages of both types.

Another object is to provide a shelf of this character which is of especially economical construction. f

These objects will more fully appear in the fol- (ci. 'se-89) 2 lowing specification when read in the light of the accompanying drawings, wherein: l Figure l is a pictorial view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention with the door 5 of the cabinet removed to show the interior thereof;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a shelf embodying the invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the l shelf frame;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 4-4 of Figure 2 Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

I5 Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken onV substantially the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

tion, the door of the cabinet being removed toV show the interior thereof; Figure 9 is a plan view of a modified form of shelf employed in the cabinet shown in Figure`8; and

i, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the shelf taken on substantially the line Ill- I0 of Figure 9. Referring now to the drawings in more detail, Figure 1 shows' a refrigerator cabinet of conventional design in which a plurality of shelves embodying the invention are placed. The refrigerator cabinet is designated generally by the numeral I Il. The cabinet is provided with a food storage chamber II. In the top of the food storage chamber is a'cooling evaporator I2 for refrigerating the interior of the chamber II. At vertically spaced intervals between the evaporator I2 and the bottom of the food storage chamber I I are a number of food supporting shelves I3, 40 I6 and I'I. Although topy shelf I3 appears in Figure`1 to be different from the other shelves, all three shelves are of identical construction. The differentvappearance is due to the fact that the center section of the topmost shelf I3 has been removed to accommodate tall bottles or other receptacles I4 positioned upon the intermediate shelf I6. A generally rectangular pan shaped receptacle I5 has been located upon the bottom' shelf I'I. Preferably the receptacle I5 has a depth substantially the same as the distance between the two shelves I6 and II. The purpose of this arrangement will appear presently.

In general, each shelf comprises a frame I8, a pair of article supporting end sections I9 and 20 and an intermediate or center section 2|. The

shape illustrated in Figure 3.

n general arrangement of these sections is disclosed in Figure 2.

The frame I8 comprises a relatively heavy bar of metal or other suitable material bent into the It will be seen that the frame surrounds the back and two ends .and portions of the front of the shelf. The space between the ends of the bar at the front of the frame are closed by a part of the center section of the shelf, as will be more clearly described presently.

The two end sections 9 and 20 of the shelf are herein shown as perforated stampings, al-

. though it is obvious that they may be a grid of bars suitably secured together, if desired. Each end section is of generally rectangular conguration and is provided'about its perimeter with downwardly and inwardly curved flanges 22, as shown in cross-section in Figures 4 and 7. The

rflanges 22 fit over the bar forming the frame I8 and hold the end sections in place on the.

frame in the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 2 and in dotted lines in Figure 3. In each end section are a plurality of elongated slots 29. l The particular arrangement of the slots is unimportant, but the over all area of the slots in the two end sections should be large enough t'o permit circulation of air within the food storage chamber, and should not be less than oneeighth of the total shelf area.

The center section 2| is for the most part formed from a sheet of glass 24. It will be evident that instead of glass, other materials may be used, but preferably a transparent, easily cleaned material should be used. The glass sheet is imperforate. The back edge of the glass 24 is protected and supported by rear supporting member 25. This supporting member is composed of a thin strip of metal bent into the crosssectional conguration disclosed in Figure 5. It comprises a forwardly opening channel 26 at the forward edge of the rear supporting member 25 and a downwardly opening channel 21 at the rear edge thereof. The channel 26 embraces the rear edge of the plate 24. In order to rmly hold the glass and eliminatevchipping of the edge of the glass plate, a thin strip of rubber or similar cushioning material 28 is placed between the channel 26 and the glass plate,

The front edge of the glass plate 24 is ornamented and supported by a front supporting member 29. The front supporting member 29 preferably is fashioned of metal bent into channel shape. as shown in Figure 6. The channel receives the front edge of the glass plate 24. A

' thin strip of rubber or other cushioning material 39 is placed between the flanges of the chan,

nel and the glass 24.

The front supporting member 29 extends latlerally beyond the side edges of the plate 24 a the rear supporting member 25. The front supporting member, due to the engagement of the flanges thereof with the top and bottom surflcesof the end 'sections of the frame, furnish ver-tidal support for une :ront edge c: the center section. The rear supporting member 25 provides both vertical support for the center; section 2| 'and prevents horizontal-movement of the shelf. The latter result is 'achieved because of the reception of the frame member |91 .within the channel 21 in the member 25. .This construction is particularly well shown in Figure 5 which shows at the left hand side thereof the `clear the member 25 from the member |8 and then moving the entire center section-of the shelf forwardly until the flanges of the member 29 are disengaged from the end sections |9 and 20. The shelf can then -be removed for cleaning or to permit the storage within the cabinet of receptacles of greater height than the distance between two shelves.

Since the center section of each shelf is imperforate and of relatively poor heat conducting material, those sections may be employed along with a suitable receptacle to provide cen-- trally located storage zones of relatively high humidityv within the food storage chamber. Thus, an ordinary pan 'shaped receptacle, such as receptacle i5. can be placed upon one shelf directly beneath the imperforate section of the shelf above it, and if the receptacle is of but slightly less height than the distance between the shelves, aircirculation between the receptacle and the exterior thereof is substantially prevented. In Aother words, the center section of one shelf can be used to form a cover for a receptacle placed immediately therebelow. This is particularlyL advantageous in the case of the next to the topmost shelf which is relatively close to the cooling evaporator. Thus, relatively low temperatures with high humidity can be maintained within the receptacle.

Figures 8 to 10 disclose a modified form of the invention in which the topmost shelf is of somewhat diierent construction than the other two shelves of the cabinet. The cabinet is designated by the numeral 59 and has therein a food storage chamber 5|. In the top of the food storage chamber is a cooling evaporator 52 which may be of any suitable type.

Within the food storage chamber and located at vertically spaced intervals therein are three shelves 53, 54 and 55. The two shelves 54 and 55 may be of the same construction as the shelves i3, I6 and I1 previously described, that is, formed with foraminate end sections and imperforate center sections. Shelf 53, however, is somewhat different than the other shelves, particularly in the fact that the center section is of foraminate construction and the end sections are imperforate. It will be noted that this is exactly the reverse of the shelves previously described.

The shelf comprises a frame 56, preferably of angular cross-section, bent into the shape shown in Figure 9. It will be noted that there are two end sections 51 of the frame which support removable glass plates 59. These plates are supported on the horizontal flanges of the angular frame and are easily lifted out for cleaning when desired.

The central section of the shelf comprises front and rear frame members 59 and 59 respectively 2,805,8il9 i which may be of the same configuration as the members 29 and 25 of the shelf shown in Figures 2 to 7. Intermediate the frame members 59 and i and rigidly secured thereto are a plurality of spaced apart bars 6I which runfrom the front to rear of the shelf. These .bars constitute a. grid work for supporting articles placed thereon. This central section of the shelf is applied andremoved from the remainder of the shelf in exactly the same manner as the center section 2| in the shelf shown in Figures 2 to 7.

It will be evident that instead of employing a plurality ofv separate bars to connect the front and rear frame members 59 and 60, the central section maybe formed of a perforated stamping vsimilar to the members I9 and 20 in the previously described shelf. This particular fea- `ture of the construction is purely a matter of design.

It will lbe evident froman inspection of Figure 8 that the circulation of air within vthe cabinet is caused to followk a more or less sinuous pathway due to the fact that the cold air dropping downward from the evaporator will be diverted toward the center of the cabinet by the imperforate end sections 58. As the air continues its downward movement it then strikes the imperforate center section of the intermediate shelf by which it is diverted toward the sides of the cabinet. This arrangement has a tendency to create a very uniform temperature within the entire refrigerator cabinet.

The relative proportions of the areas of openings in thev shelf and the shelf itself are not especially critical, but in order to permit enough circulation of air to maintain the desired uniform temperature conditions within the cabinet the area of the openings in the shelf must constitute at least one-eighth of the total area of the shelf.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim;

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top of the chamber for cooling the latter, an article supporting shelf below and spaced from said cooling means, said shelf comprising an im perforate central section and a pair of foraminate end sections, and a second article supporting shelf below saidcooling means and spaced therefrom and from said first named shelf, said second shelf comprising a. foraminate central section and a pair of imperforate end sections.

2. A refrigerator as dened in claim 1 wherein the areas of the central and end sections in the y rst named shelf correspond to the areas of the end and central sections respectively in the second shelf.

3. A cabinet shelf including a unitary article supporting structure comprising a pair of later- "fally spaced apart foraminate article supporting end sections and a connecting member secured to said end sections forholding the same in xed coplanar relationship relative to each other, and an imperforate article supporting central section removably attached to said structure in the' space between said end sections, said central section being provided with a pair of laterally extending projections at one transverse edge thereof, said projections overlapping the corresponding transverse edges of said end sections and being movably mounted thereon.

4. A cabinet shelf including a unitary article supporting structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart foraminate article supporting end sections, one of said end sections laving transverse edges substantially aligned with cor.

responding transversel edges of the other end section, a connecting member secured tosaid end sections adjacent one pair of' corresponding transverse edges for holding the end sections in`- necting member.

5. A cabinet shelf as defined in claim 4 wherein said projections comprise channel members having horizontal flanges, said lchannel members receiving the adjacent transverse edges of said end sections.

6. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top of the food storage chamber for cooling the latter, a plurality of vertically spaced apart article supporting shelves in sad'chamberbelow said cooling means, said shelves being substantially coextensve with the horizontal crosssectional area of said chamber, one of said shelves comprising a pair of imperforate end sections and a foraminate central section, and another shelf having an imperforate central section and a pair of foraminate end sections, said central sections being removably connected to the respective shelves and interchangeable with each other.

7. A refrigerator as defined in claim 6 wherein said shelves are removably mounted in said cabinet.

8. A refrigerator as defined in claim 6 wherein the horizontal area of said cooling means is substantially coextensive with the horizontal cross-sectional area of said storage chamber.

9. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top of the food storage chamber for cooling the latter, a plurality of vertically spaced apart article supporting shelves in said chamber below said cooling means, said shelves being substantially coextensive with the horizontal cross-sectional area of said chamber, the uppermost shelf comprising a pair of imperforate -end sections and a foraminate central section, and another shelf having an imperforate central section and a pair of foraminate end sections, said central sections being removably connected to the respective shelves and interchangeable with each other.

10. A refrigerator, comprising a cabinet having a food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top of the food storage chamber for cooling the latter, a plurality of vertically spaced article supporting shelves in said chamber below said cooling means and forming compartments in said chamber, said shelves having open portions therein adapted to receive removable shelf sections, and an imperforate and a foraminate shelf section adapted to be received and supported interchangeably in said open shelf portions to control communication between the compartments of said chamber.

11. A refrigerator, comprising a cabinet having. a, food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top of the food storage chamber for cooling the latter, a plurality of vertically spaced article supporting shelves in said chamber below said cooling means, one of said shelves being subarable sections, one of and comprising two sepsaid sections extending substantiallyfrom-front torear of said shelf and being removable therefrom, another of!) said shelves comprising two separable sections, one of said sections being bodily removable from the remanly imp'eifome mainder of the shelf and having substantially the 1 same dimensions 'as the removable section in the said imperforate shelf whereby said removable sections can -be interchanged with each other. I

12. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having a food storage chamber therein, means adjacent the top oi the food storage chamber for cooling the latter. a plurality of vertically spaced article supporting shelves in said chamber below said cooling means, one of said shelves being substantially imperforate and comprising two separable sections, one of said sections extending substantiallyfrom front to rear of said shelf and being removable therefrom, said last mentioned section when removed from said imperiorate shelf bemmpdb be shelves.

n "1 luisant),Dammi'.` REFERENCES crrnn The following references are ot record in the tile of this patent:

UNrrED STATES PA'rnNs Curtiss, Jr Oct. 28, 1947 mounted on another of ysaid 

